Dancers Of The Night
by KickingRoses
Summary: He ran away for the last time. He had no where to go. He had no choice but to return. Rated for prostitution, violence and eventual slash.
1. Lost In The Shadows

**Yes, yes, I know, I really shouldn't start other fics when I've got loads (more like three) others to complete. My thinking is that if I start more then I have more to continue whenever I do have time and an urge to write. This was something I've wanted to do for a while, just because I find it interesting that no one has really dabbled (as far as I know) in this bit of Boosh backstory before, whether you take it as real or not. Please, before looking closely to see if I've gotten everything right with the way prostitution is run etc, know that I've done my best and also - this is the Boosh Universe so if things are different, well I can be let off. :P Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: This piece of work proves we should all be thankful I do not own them.  
**

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Maxi Taylor sat somewhat rigidly in the backseat of Mr. Hart's flashy Jaguar. His hands clutched the small rucksack containing what few belongings he had with him in the world as he watched the streets of London pass him by. He held the bag tighter to his thin stomach as it let off a rumble. Quite hungry was an understatement. But he didn't feel like pushing his luck by mentioning this aloud just yet.

The hand of the older man beside him stroked over his pale, bony, curled fists. His touch was gentle yet the platinum signet ring shimmered with power. Maxi gulped, raising his eyes to his 'new best friend' as he'd been told to think of him as.

"Relax, sweetie. I told you, you're in safe hands. There's nothing to fear now you've got Uncle Daryl looking after you." Mr. Hart flashed his famous charming smile.

Maxi nodded, returning the smile, even if it wasn't a hundred per cent genuine. He knew he wasn't the smartest kid in the world - his GCSE results and the many lashings from his mother had made that perfectly clear - but he was clever enough to know that anyone who happened to be a kidnapper or mass murderer probably wouldn't want to make their intentions clear until they were both out of public sight.

In saying that though, he did trust Mr. Hart, at least more than he trusted anyone else in the city. That being because he didn't know anyone else in London, excluding the wired tramps who had tried to molest him in whatever ally or abandoned shack he'd chosen to curl up in for the night. In the daytime, having lost the last of his money on his train ticket and the rest having been mugged right outside Kings Cross station, Maxi sat on the pavement playing his harmonica - living the cliché. He knew he couldn't play very well but his round face and big brown eyes managed to at least get him a few euros a day from the rare kind passers by, which he gladly took with the jeers and saliva from others. One morning he'd been given a fiver from a sweet old lady who gave it in return for the promise that he'd 'take care of himself'. Maxi had done just that and bought himself a warm, full English breakfast from a nearby café. And that's where he'd met Daryl Hart.

To think that had only been the day before yesterday, Maxi pondered as he swore they passed several Starbucks' all on one short road. In retrospect, his time on the streets had been very short compared to a lot of other unfortunates. And he planned to keep it that way.

"I know you've had it rough, Maxi. But all that's gonna change now, y'hear?" Mr. Hart continued to reassure him; "We'll help you get back on your feet."

"We?" Maxi's head span back around, his long, layered blond hair flying behind him.

Mr. Hart gave him a 'funny' look; "You didn't think you were gonna be moving in there on your own, did you? Little fella' like you, I wouldn't be able to sleep right. Gotta make sure someone's there to look after you."

Maxi bit his lip as an odd sense dripped down his spine. He wondered if 'to look after' was some sort of threatening euphemism. As always Mr. Hart was able to read his expression in a heartbeat.

"Now don't you worry, love. I'd trust your new roommate with my life - maybe even my pin number," Daryl laughed quite haggardly; "He's one of my best boys, known him since 'e was a nipper, near enough."

"He's been…_into it _that long?" Maxi couldn't help but cringe at the horrific image of someone even younger than him doing…It didn't even bare thinking about.

Quite annoyingly, Daryl repeated that laugh of his, as if mocking the disgust of such a thing.

"Nah, not that far. He did start pretty young though…I'd say same age as you," Mr. Hart said, studying Maxi from beneath his spectacles; "Though he looked a lot older. More the manly type. It ain't all fishnet stockings and mini-skirts…though I wouldn't be surprised if someone once asked him to 'play the part'. You never know who you were gonna get in those days." he chuckled again as if remembering a fond memory of his childhood.

_It's not so bad,_ Maxi consoled himself, _Black Luna Mag. says fishnets are gonna be in this winter. _But the mini-skirts…?

"Obviously it's all handled a lot better these days. I can take better care of my kids. Do my best to make sure no smack-heads or nut-jobs are gonna be messing them about." Mr. Hart continued in a true to form paternal tone. "'Course I need you all to look after each other as well when I can't be there for ya. Like a proper family, ey?"

"I can take care of myself." Maxi muttered, immediately wishing he could bite back the words and swallow them whole. He might as well have been in rehab and claiming he didn't have an addictive personality.

Luckily for him, Mr. Hart merely chuckled once more; "Yeah, that's what they all say. And they all end up proving it as well. But ey," Daryl tilted Maxi's chin up; "There's nothing wrong with accepting a little nudge in the right direction is there?"

Maxi forced a light smile; "'Spose not."

"That's more like it." Mr. Hart cheered, bringing back his hand; "And I'm not gonna be hearing any complaints about you playing up, am I?"

"No, s…No, Uncle Daryl." Maxi replied obediently.

"Good boy." It wasn't patronizing or even condescending. But it still made Maxi feel dirty; "And like I said, you can trust my mate, Moon. He was one of the best back in his day. A fast learner and eager to please, no matter what. That's what you need to be in order to get what you need from a client. True, I've had some customers complain that he's…_too _eager but then I say if they wanted perfection they could try the dating agency, ey. And those have only been from when he first came back. 'E was just getting back into the swing of-"

"Came back?" Maxi interrupted, hoping it wouldn't seem disrespectful. He didn't fancy being thrown out of a moving car.

"'E stopped for a while. A _long _while, in fact. Said 'e wanted to try and make it in the 'real world'. Don't think I've ever seen on anyone go on a break for so long and come back. Must've been…twenty years almost." Mr Hart recounted with a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

Maxi was more than surprised. He was sure that once you got into the business then there was no getting out. There was no quitting and rehiring like any normal job. Twenty years?!

"Why did he come back?"

"Don't ask me. I let my boys and girls keep their own problems to themselves unless they want me to sort them out for them. And, word of warning sweetheart, do not go asking him about it either! Unless you want to 'ave your pretty 'ead smacked off its hinges."

"Wow, can't wait to meet him." Maxi moaned in sarcasm. Mr. Hart laughed again. Maxi thought it must have been wonderful to find everything so funny.

"He is a bit of a misery guts. Always 'as been. He weren't so bad as a young'un, 'e was a bit more full of 'imself and foolish. But I'm guessing whatever made 'im come back changed all that." he looked at Maxi seriously; "But 'e's decent. 'E 'as 'is flaws like the rest of us but 'e's a nice guy underneath it all. You'll be alright, Maxi boy."

All the kid could do was hold his bag tighter to himself and watch the world roll away from him.

They drove on for another ten minutes, any risk of uncomfortable silence being thwarted by Mr. Hart continuing to talk about his current and past employees. Maxi was able to catch a couple of names but soon the sight of the twilight sky over the rooftops stole his focus and also began to make him feel quite tired. It wasn't helping much when Mr. Hart starting to hark on about what Maxi had waiting for him.

"Central heatin', Freeview telly, your own room, warm bed…" Mr. Hart listed; "And you're lucky you've got a roommate who ain't a bad cook either. And if you're a good boy I'll get you an iPod or Xstation, whatever you little'ens love these days."

The way the old man was crooning on, anyone would have thought Maxi had found a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's factory. Which wouldn't be such an exciting prospect in itself after the recent scandal that revealed how Oompa Loompas were just kids painted orange and Wonka was imprisoned for child labour.

Finally they pulled up at a block of flats on the corner of a street in Westminster. As they got out of the car, Maxi scanned the building Mr. Hart was leading him into whilst his driver kept the car running. It looked like any other working-middle class block, the same as the rest of the street. Mr. Hart opened the front door and Maxi followed him up a couple flights of stairs and along the hall before reaching no. 18. Maxi couldn't help but notice that some of the inside of the building wasn't as appealing, with some scratches on the wallpaper and a strange smell coming from one of the doors they passed, where from behind he could swear he heard a high-pitched voice plotting either world domination or checking out a new gay bar opening up in town…or maybe both. Still, thought Maxi, he'd had worse. A lot worse.

Mr. Hart knocked on the door of no. 18. Four sharp, quick taps with his knuckles. Maxi counted ten seconds go by without any movement being heard from the other side of the door. He had no idea why he was hoping that no one would open it. After all, it's not like he wanted another night on a stone floor, unless Mr. Hart's 'kindness' extended to letting Maxi kip on his sofa. Even if it did, thought Maxi, something told him it would probably be better on the streets.

At last, the locks in the door clicked and it opened slowly to reveal Mr. Hart's employee. Maxi tried not to let the surprise shine out of his face like a beacon.

"Wotcha' Howard. Mind if we come in?" Mr. Hart wasted no time.

The man - Howard - turned his shifty, small eyes from Mr. Hart to Maxi, so fast that the boy nearly jumped back in surprise. He blinked at him, those intense chocolate brown irises hardening somewhat before he looked back at Mr. Hart.

"You know my door's always open for you, Daryl." said Howard curtly as if to any old friend.

Mr. Hart smiled and quickly made his way into the flat. Maxi on the other hand continued to stand, somewhat transfixed, in the hallway, looking at Howard like he was from another world. That would be a surprise considering the government had banned intergalactic immigration ever since those shamen from Xooberon were arrested for planning a heist named '_Oceans 81_'.

This was probably the last man in the world that Maxi would have ever suspected to be on the game. Not to mention be one of Mr. Hart's 'best employees'. He looked like any other man. So much so that Maxi could've passed him on the street six times and probably not even have recognised him. He was so generic, plain and…old. He looked older than Mr. Hart which was saying something. His beige trousers and brown sweater-vest reminded Maxi of his geography teacher. He was also tall. _Very _tall, compared to tiny five-foot-three Maxi. That mixed with the way he was still staring at him as he smoked his cigarette was enough to make Maxi feel like he was back in his old principles office about to get a rollicking.

"You just gonna stand there admiring the view or you gonna come in?" Howard asked. "What's so eye-catching anyway?"

Maxi's feet where telling him to run. This really was a bad idea; "I…uhm…I don't think you're allowed to smoke in here."

"Well I was smoking on the balcony but I had to come and answer the door - so technically it's yours and Mr. Hart's fault. Do you really want to put any blame on him?"

"I…No, sir."

"Smart lad. C'mon in then."

Howard turned and Maxi followed him, staying at least four steps behind, into his flat. Once again Maxi found himself shocked by how his stereotype expectations had failed him. True, the place was no penthouse suit, but it just seemed like a plain, homely set-up, helped by the fact that everything was so neat and organized. It was like looking at something in a Homebase catalogue, except there were very few decorations or pictures in the place, except for a saxophone propped up in the corner of the living room, opposite the small T.V. Mr. Hart had already made himself comfortable in an armchair that looked like it belonged in an old folks home, putting his feet up on the coffee table and opening a can of Red Bull from the fridge.

Maxi continued to stand against the wall like a soldier awaiting orders, trying to avoid Howard's gaze as he kept on staring at him with a look Maxi had achieved enough times in his life, dressing the way he liked to.

"So Howard, this was the one I was telling you about. The Taylor boy from the café." said Mr. Hart pointedly.

"Right. Max, yeah?" Howard asked to his boss, not to the boy.

"Maxi." Maxi corrected.

Howard merely gave a nod to show he couldn't care less if his name was Colonel Sanders.

"Well take a seat, Maxi. Start making yourself at home, kiddo." Mr. Hart encouraged jovially.

"Er," Howard spoke up before Maxi could move a step; "…Home?"

"Yes, Howard, I did brief you on this earlier."

"No," Howard frowned; "You said I was gonna be getting an apprentice to train up. You didn't say anything about him living with me."

"Well did you think I was just gonna let him continue sleeping in warehouses?" Mr. Hart scoffed, staying relaxed in the chair he'd clearly made his own.

"I assumed you'd-"

"What? C'mon, Moon, we're in the middle of a recession. One so big it spans parallel universes. I can't exactly afford to rent out a place for him on his own, especially when he hasn't even started yet. Anyway," said Mr. Hart, getting to his feet; "It will do you good to have some company instead of rattling around here on your own."

"I like being on my own. I don't want anyone else with me; especially not some little electro brat."

"Uhm…I'm standing right here." said Maxi. "And don't diss the clobber, small eyes, this is Black Luna vintage."

Howard's head had whipped around half way through Maxi's defensive speech and he was suddenly staring at Maxi as if having just noticed him for the very first time.

"…What?" asked Maxi, feeling very uneasy again.

"You just…I didn't understand a word of that sentence." he snapped out of whatever trance he was in and turned back to Mr. Hart; "Daryl, please, I really don't need this, not now."

There was a crack in Howard's voice. Almost as if he was about to cry.

Mr. Hart sighed, placing his hands in his suit pocket. He looked at Maxi; "Kid, why don't you go check out your room, I believe it's the second door on the right."

Maxi didn't need telling twice. Though the new quiet and calm switch in Mr. Hart's voice unnerved him somewhat, he really didn't want to spend more time where he wasn't wanted and scurried down the hall and quickly locked himself in his new room. It was small, orange and dull, empty apart from a bed, a bedside table, a chest of draws and a lamp - but it was _his_.

Before he was ready to collapse onto his bed and have his long awaited sleep, he couldn't help but firstly throw his rucksack onto the bed and kneel down against the door, pressing his ear to the gap, finding it not to difficult to hear the voices in the living room.

"Howard, I've done a lot for you this year, the least you could do is help me out with this." he heard Mr. Hart plead in the least begging voice he'd ever heard.

"Daryl, anyone else would've been fine. It's just…well you saw him!" Howard retorted, vexed.

"Yes, he's very pretty. I can see him being very popular."

"He's a CHILD."

"He's old enough to work. And he can't get a job anywhere, he hasn't got anywhere to live so what else is he going to do - starve? Do you want that on your conscious 'cause I sure don't."

"Oh this is nothing to do with your conscious, this is all about what you can fit into your wallet."

"That hurts, Howard. That really, really hurts. It's true - but it hurts. Ain't I been good to you?"

"Yes, but…"

"You 'ad no problem with me helping you out at 'is age."

"I didn't know any better, did I."

"And you wouldn't have survived any other way and we both know it. Remember that it was a client from here that helped get you a job as a zookeeper."

"You mean binman."

"Sorry, have only just caught up with the canon. Either way, things could go up for little Maxi just like they did for you…" Mr. Hart then cleared his throat for some reason. "…But he needs someone to look after him, show him the ropes, as I taught you."

A heavy sigh rumbled the flat.

"…Okay, fine."

Maxi let himself relax, backing away from the door, having heard all he needed to hear. He went back to his double bed and crawled into it, wrapping himself in the cool, unused sheets, waiting for his body to warm them. He then reached for his rucksack and pulled out the first of his belongings to his new home, placing it on his bedside table, facing towards him.

The smiling faces of his father, sister and younger self all beamed back at him and he couldn't help but feel a poison begin to burn away in his stomach at the thought of what his dad would've thought if he knew he'd ended up here of all places. He squirmed at the disgust on his sister's face if she knew her little brother was about to become a prostitute.

**-x-x-**

Maxi was surprised his nap only lasted for a few hours. He thought with the lack of rest over the past month he was due to sleep right through till the next morning. He came out of his room at only quarter to seven to find Howard in the living room waiting for him. Except this was a different Howard to the one he'd met earlier.

This Howard…was a cowboy.

"You finally awoke then?" He gruffly greeted him.

"Either that or this is one boring arse dream." Maxi quipped back.

"Oi. First rule of living here is that I'm not gonna take any lip, you got that?" Howard wagged a disapproving finger at him from a hand fitted into a brown leather glove with fringe to match his new trousers. Maxi struggled to suppress a laugh. "The rest of the rules you'll find on the chalkboard behind you."

Maxi turned and, indeed, out of nowhere had appeared a narrow, vertical chalkboard on the back wall with many, many, many….MANY rules written on it. _You've gotta be kidding me, _gawped Maxi inwardly.

"No smoking illegal substances, no parties," Maxi read out with little enthusiasm; "No pets, no magic….No spoilers?"

"Oh sorry, that's for my book club." said Howard; "…But it also applies to you too, I guess. You better have those all memorized by the time I come home tonight, got it?"

Maxi's eyes widened at him; "You're….going out like _that?_"

"Yes." Howard replied back sourly, fitting a John Wayne hat on his head; "Just wait until you get some with dress-up fetishes."

"Oh." Maxi finally caught on, his stomach dropping; "You mean you're going…"

"…Line dancing, yes. Where do you think I'm going?! My god, do you even know what sort of work you're gonna be doing to repay Daryl for letting you live here?"

Maxi scowled; "Of course, I'm not just some dumb kid. We're not all experienced whores, small eyes."

Howard's eyes widened to normal sized proportions. Maxi guessed that wasn't a good sign. Maybe he'd gone too far with the 'whore' comment. Was that like a forbidden word in this industry?

"Don't ever call me that again." Howard ordered. "My eyes are perfectly normal, sir. Call me it again and you're out of here, rule one hundred and twenty nine."

Maxi looked at the board; "…But it only goes up to a hundred and twenty eight."

"Oh. Well. Add that to the list. And any others you can think of!"

"Sure thing…Partner," snickered Maxi as he went into the kitchenette.

Howard narrowed his eyes at the ignorant little squirt; "Keep this place clean and stay out of my room. Daryl may have been a soft touch but Howard TJ Moon is no sugar daddy, d'you hear me? You're on your own now and don't expect me to baby you, right?!"

"Right, whatever." Maxi crossed his arm, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Right. Good…Anyway, I made you a lasagne, you've just gotta get it out of the oven in ten minutes, potatoes are in the pot and there's some ice cream in the freezer or chocolate mousses for pudding."

Maxi could only blink.

Howard grabbed his house keys off the arm of the sofa and stuffed them in his pocket. Without another word to his new roommate he was out the door.

Maxi knelt down to the oven to indeed spot the dish being baked inside. A second warm feeling began to bloom in the centre of his chest. He started opening draws and cupboards in order to find the plates and cutlery. Despite the compulsive tidiness of the rest of the flat, the inside of some of draws seemed to be crammed with all sorts of junk, from strange old trinkets to receipts from random places.

And probably something that stood out above the rest; a set of small passport sized photos taken in a booth that looked decades old. Photos of two men with their arms around each other, pulling silly faces - at least as silly a face as Howard could deign to pull - and sealed in frozen giggles. He could just make out a much younger Howard, almost unrecognisable for the lift in his fresh smile and the twinkle of joy in his eyes, and beside him someone else. A smaller man, closer to Maxi's age, with layered dirty-blonde hair and pointy features in his blue-eyed face…a face that Maxi could swear that he'd seen before, somewhere.

Before his curiosity could distract him further, his stomach gave a furious cry. "Alright, shut it, it's being sorted," Maxi mumbled, putting the photos back in its drawer and closing it, continuing his quest for a fork.

**-x-x-**

Howard entered the lift of the Marriott Hotel, thankful as the doors closed to be able to get away from the suspicious, disapproving gaze of the receptionist and the others in the lobby.

It did still surprise him how much things had changed since his day. Back in the eighties, the best clients Daryl had been able to find for his 'kids', as he called them, were yuppies and bankrupted business men spending the last of their fleeting savings on 'a final good night'. Probably before the suicide pills were taken, Howard always assumed that's what it implied. Nowadays appointments were arranged as if going to the dentist. And most of the people who could afford to waste money on such hedonistic luxuries in these times were those who had money to waste. Which was why Howard and others would be lucky enough to be taken to places like the Hilton or even for dinner at the Ritz.

He'd tried, when first coming back on the game a year before, to douse his shame by telling himself he was just an escort. Not a street walker. Not a tart. But in the end he realized, call a spade a spade, he was what he was. It was the only thing he was ever truly good at. And it's something he'd always been really, no matter how far he hide from it, even to go so far as let his brain delude itself into believing he was a virgin. Virgins were pure. Not dirty. Not like him. No one had to know, it was better they laughed at that rather than see through his less credible lies and know the truth. Most of them knew the rumours anyway, and had laughed at him for it, but never in seriousness. If they'd known…If Vince had…

Howard bit his lip. It had been weeks since he'd last allowed that name to enter his head. It was all that kid's fault! Maxi. If it hadn't been for Daryl then he wouldn't have let him pass the threshold. He'd looked so much like him. Ok, not facially, but the hair, the clothes, the make-up, the mockney twang, the confidence and the innocence - it was all unique and yet all so Vince. And that had been Howard's downfall.

Because he'd looked in that young man's eyes and seen the man whom he'd loved and yet never truly showed it. The man he'd let down, abused, betrayed and subconsciously moulded into someone different. Someone he barely recognised and who it killed him each day to be around as karma finally began to recede in on himself. It was clear that his once best friend couldn't stand him anymore. And he couldn't blame him. He knew he could never make things up to Vince. But he could help make another kid's life better instead.

Better? Had he really just thought that? Well it was the script.

Howard's stomach twisted at the thought of that precocious youngster selling his skinny, weak body for money. It was like imagining Vince doing such a thing. Except, he remembered with pride in his heart, his Vince was a fighter. And despite Howard's baseless accusations, he knew that Vince wasn't the mindless player he often came off as. He liked to please people, but even he wouldn't go so far as to make a living from it. A boy who grows up in a forest is born with the skills to make it anywhere without resorting to such depravity. Their little adventure on the island a couple of years ago had made that clear. Vince could take a handful of bamboo sticks and make a car, a house and an unfinished conservatory. Even if Howard had been allowed stock of the trees he still wouldn't have had the intuitive and creative skills to make more than a poxy shack. That was where he admitted defeat. This had been his only option. The bin men hadn't been able to take on new workers due to the recession. No where else would even give him an interview. In the end, booksmarts and GCSEs counted for little on the harsh streets of London. It wasn't what you knew, it's _who _you knew - and all Howard had known since he'd fled the Nabootique and Dalston in shame, was Daryl Hart.

The lift came to a halt at last and the doors opened. Howard walked down the corridor, not even needing to check where he was heading, before coming to number fifty two. He came here so often, no pun intended, that it was almost like a second home to him. He rapt upon the door which opened before he'd even drew back his fist.

He tipped his hat as was his usual greeting; "Howdy," before flashing a warm smile.

She took a long drag of her cigarette, it seemed no one gave much of a fuss about no smoking lately, the holder gripped between her chunky fingers topped with blood red nail varnish.

"Helloooooo - Evening." She raised one of her eyebrows. "You're a little late."

"Sorry, had to sort out dinner for my new-"

"No talking." Howard found his lips crushed between the fingers of her other large hand. "You've been a naughty cowboy. And I'm gonna ride you all over the West End till you're crawling on your nip-tits!"

Howard was then yanked across the threshold, the door closing shut behind him. He could see his handy hipflask full of whisky coming in…well, handy, tonight.

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**I give you my first attempt at writing Elanor, hence why it's so short. Reviews would be love. Thanks for reading.**


	2. Newbie On The Street

**Wow, would you look at that, I had a miraculous recovery and was able to get some fic done along with it. A good night all round! This chapter's a bit more angsty and there is a snippet of a sex scene which is the reason for the warning.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.  
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_Dearest Vince,_

_I've had someone new brought into my life this week. His name is Maxi. He reminds me so much of you. No, don't worry, he's not another Lance Dior, put down your straighteners. In fact he doesn't really 'look' that much like you. He's a lot shorter and his face isn't as well…unique as yours was. His eyes are brown and don't have your sparkle. But his spirit; his cocky, smug, image-obsessed, annoying, slow yet quick-witted personality - it all reminds me of you._

_Daryl's brought him to me to 'look after him'. Of course in most prostitution circles they have Madames for this kind of job. I guess you could call me the Madame and yes, I can already hear you laughing at that one, ha ha. But Maxi isn't the first person I've been given to show the ropes to but he's the first I've had come and live with me._

_I don't want him here. Plain and simple. Not because he's irritating or talks too much or eats all the Oreos like you used to. Not even because he reminds me of you. Ok, maybe that is part of it. He does remind me of you, he's so young and innocent. I don't know what's led him to this life. For someone who talks too much, he doesn't really 'say' anything. But I daren't question him on it. Because then he'll probably think he has a right to know about my life. And I can't have that. _

_I really thought by this time, I'd have forgotten about you. After all, you were nothing but a narcissistic little nymph who drove me to the brink of insanity. Why would I want to still remember you?_

_That's the sad thing. I know why. I know full well why I can never forget you. _

_I miss you so much. I miss the brownies you'd make with all the ridiculous, multi-coloured extras packed inside. I miss the cup of tea handed to me when you knew I was stressed. I miss you stumbling in from a late night and kissing me on the cheek when I was pretending to be asleep. I don't know why I was pretending. Maybe if I'd been awake, if I'd had the courage to tell you how I really felt, instead of always being so god damn unfair to you for all the little things that I know you didn't mean…_

_It wouldn't have made a difference. _

_Because this is where I belong. It's where my life led me originally and, as much as I tried to fight it, I was always destined to come back here. I thought could be anything; explorer, adventurer, photographer, writer, renowned sexual lover. But all I did was fail. And I blamed that on you, little man, when all you ever tried to do was help me. I'm sorry._

_Tomorrow is Maxi's first night. I haven't told him yet as I keep hoping to find a way to stall it. Daryl knows how I feel but he's said if the kid doesn't pay his way then he has to go back on the streets. What would you do, Vince? You'd probably slap me round the back of the head and tell me to get my stupid jazzy arse out of this whole business and take Maxi with me. And I would without a seconds thought if I knew you'd be there waiting for me. But without you there is no life worth escaping for. This is all that myself and poor little Maxi have. So we have to make do._

_Wherever you are, sweetheart, I sincerely hope that you're happy. And I love you._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Howard T.J Moon. _

Howard finished the letter with the same three lines that he ended every letter. After reading it over twice, he smiled, pleased with it. He then opened the drawer of his dresser and stacked the letter atop a pile of over one hundred others, all unsent, before closing the drawer.

He undressed, removing the rather unfitting and bizarre costume he'd been paid extra to wear for tonight's particular client. Slipping the knee-high socks down his leg, he caught his thumb on a swelling bruise on the inside of his thigh and winced. He removed the rest of the extra large school-girl costume as quick as he possibly could and removed the ribbons from his hair before putting the outfit back on the hanger and into the wardrobe which resembled a costume rail one would find in a theatre. Daryl always told him to keep the costumes in case of a customer wanting to return. Even though Howard did get a lot of requests to dress up, cross-dressing wasn't a usual for him, as most of the clientele he attracted were people looking for a 'manly man' to be with. Of course occasionally he'd be picked by a wannabe dom or dominatrix who could get an easy thrill off transforming a strong, grown man into a weak, helpless little girl to abuse and use, usually in that order. Howard did his best to try not to understand the thought process of it. He was warned by others it could drive you insane.

The warn-out maverick got dressed into his paisley pajamas, avoiding the bruises adorning his body. One of Daryl's other 'boy's', Jerry, once said to Howard to think of marks as tips. Damage to property didn't come without an extra price after all. Even though he bruised like a peach, Howard was more than used to being used as a human football or worse, ever since he was a kid in the school playground. And it wasn't as if he'd get sympathy from his father who merely told him to toughen up as he was letting the strong, respectable Moon name down.

Just as Howard was finally about to get into bed, at the rather early bedtime for him at half 2, he began to hear a high-pitched squeak coming through the thin wall separating his bedroom from Maxi's. As he pressed his ear to the wall he heard that the noise came accompanied with a shudder in between cries.

Howard merely sighed, guiltily and stepped back. He knew what he was hearing and, if anything, he was more than surprised that it was the first time he was hearing. Maybe it was because the boy knew that tomorrow would be the night.

A little voice inside his head, the voice that wasn't his own and had been his only companion since the day he'd left the Nabootique, whispered to him to into the room and comfort the lad. It was the least he could do before pushing him into the lion's den tomorrow. Howard remembered his first night at his first bed-sit paid for by Daryl. The lost seventeen year old had bawled his eyes out like a baby and no one had been there to hold him and say it was gonna be ok. He knew he had the chance to give Maxi what he hadn't.

But in the end, his cowardly spirit got the better of him, and he crawled into bed and held a pillow over his ears, praying that whatever god was listening would have mercy on his soul.

**-x-x-**

As the hot water cascaded off Maxi's head and down his body, he wished he could stand under its warmth for the rest of the night, the shower protecting him from the outside world.

He picked up a somewhat dog-eared sponge and began to scrub his skeletal body. He'd managed to put on a little bit of weight in the past week. Daryl had been right; Howard was a pretty swell cook and always managed to prepare a hearty meal, even with what little supplies they had. But other than cooking or his daily 'lessons', Howard tended to stay out of Maxi's way, either locking himself in his bedroom or hiding behind a book. It was beginning to drive Maxi insane and a part of him was glad to start getting out if it meant being free of the flat and the smothering tension. Of course there were other Call Boys and Girls in the flat but Maxi felt too shy to introduce them to him. Howard may have been silent and slightly scary but at the same time he had an air of safety about him that Maxi just couldn't put his finger on.

Howard was bossy and easily wound-up as Maxi had learned after an incident involving leaving his shoes on the table and another with Maxi chewing his gum 'loud enough to summon an armada' apparently. He was anal about petty little things and Maxi assumed he had some form of OCD. The rest of the time he was incessantly grumpy and responses to Maxi's questions to start conversations would be monosyllabic at best. All that aside, he was easy to live with. He took care of things.

_He takes care of me,_ thought Maxi, oddly, beginning to wash his hair.

Of course, Maxi knew he was only putting up with him because of Mr. Hart's orders to do so. The brief sheltering was to end tonight with Maxi taking his first step into his dark new world. He didn't know that much about his first client other than a name. Paul Ringo. Maxi couldn't help but smile at the name, in spite of the situation. He wondered if his middle name was George. Or John? Maybe he could ask when he met him, perhaps it would lighten the situation…or earn him a punch in the nose for taking the piss.

He knew it was possible. He knew what he was getting himself into. Maxi cringed as he remembered the nights when Howard had gone out. The first two he'd been scared to be left in the flat on his own and had sat up in the living room, curled on the sofa, waiting up till the small hours for Howard to come home. He hadn't seen any bruises, but he'd spotted Howard have a slight limp on occasions. Would he be limping after tonight as well?

Maxi had never had sex with a man before. In fact, he'd only ever slept with one girl, three times. He'd been praying his first client would be a woman so he'd be more in his element. Mr. Hart had told him to get used to attracting guys with 'his sort of looks'.

The shampoo bottle slipped from his wet, shaking hands and a wave of sick bolted through his stomach out of nowhere. He stumbled out of the shower, slipping on the tiled floor and having to grab for the towel rail at the side as he fell forward to the toilet and vomited roughly into the bowel.

After a while he sat back, feeling incredibly tiny and fragile. Where had that come from?

He'd been so confident up until now. Or at least he'd been able to put up a convincing front. Then a mere, fleeting image had had him rushing to hurl and he couldn't even remember what the image had been. Maxi gripped his hair and clenched his teeth, rocking back and forth as he sat, naked and dripping, on the floor. _I can do this….I can do this…I HAVE to do this…_

**-x-x-**

Howard had been putting a pizza in the oven when he'd heard the noise. He looked around the corner to see Maxi trying to stretch the cord of his straighteners from his room around to the bathroom, grunting as the cord reached the end of its length.

"Wires aren't elastic you know." he said pointedly.

"M'trying to get it into the bathroom. It's the only mirror in this place." complained Maxi with his back to Howard as he continued his fruitless battle.

Howard rolled his eyes; "Well if you keep doing that then they're gonna break and won't be much use to you, will they."

Maxi dropped the straighteners, frustrated, and turned to face Howard. The older man's jaw dropped as he was able to gain a front view of Maxi's outfit.

"Uhm…Wow." He said pathetically.

Maxi's cheeks were tinged with pink suddenly; "…D'you like it?"

"Is that…?" It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. "Is that a Joan Jett jumpsuit?"

"Yeah. Ordered it a couple o' months back from my favourite fashion magazine. I swear, they're the best thing since Cheekbone. And so affordable." Maxi continued to ramble, stroking down the fire-truck red fabric over his hip; "Mr. Hart said to wear something tight…"

"It's a…Joan Jett…jumpsuit." Howard said under his breath. _Someone is definitely screwing with me._

He gulped, looking up away from the outfit to instead focus on Maxi's face that was also a sight worth gawping at. The boy had been in nothing but cheap, casual clothes all week and now he was wearing skin-tight shiny overalls and light foundation, eyeliner and lip gloss. He definitely looked the part now.

"So…you're all ready then." said Howard, going back to check on the pizza.

"I was, almost. I just need to sort my hair, it's a right state!" moaned Maxi dramatically, waving his hands up as if the end of the world were imminent. "But I can't afford any of the stuff I used to have. All I've got is my straighteners and I can't use them without a mirror!"

Howard clicked his tongue, tapping his fingers on the kitchen work top before finally conceding to the annoying voice in his head; "…I'll do it for you."

Maxi blinked at him. He then started to laugh very, very loudly.

"You?! No offense but I think I'd rather just brush it into place."

"Suit yourself, Chuckles McGee. But it wouldn't be the first time I've straightened a smug little titbox's hair and I do have some clue what I'm doing."

Maxi took a long, doubtful stare at Howard. He then retreated back down the hall and came out not two seconds later with a pair of GHD's in his hands and plugged them into one of the wall sockets. Howard went over and told Maxi to kneel before the chair he placed himself on. Maxi handed him a hair tie and Howard started sectioning out the boy's long, layered hair.

"Uhm…No offense, but you don't strike me as the type who knows anything about doing hair." said Maxi wearily, facing away from Howard.

"Trust me, it's not a skill I had much choice in learning." he replied lazily.

With the straighteners now heated, Howard began smoothing out the kinks.

"How did you learn then? M'guessing not by doing anything to your own hair."

Howard resists the urge to burn the little sod's ear; "I had this…person I used to live with. He had a BTECH National in Hair Design. I had to do his mane for him a few times, he walked me through it."

"If he had the BTECH, why did he need you to do his hair for him?"

"Long story short, the gorilla we also lived with took some steroids because he wanted to run the London Marathon. They sent him crazy and when V…my flat-mate tried to calm him down, the ape accidentally ended up crushing his hands."

"Bloomin' 'eck! Was he all right?"

"Yeah, a week in rehab, he came out fine. He was a bit miffed at not being able to run the marathon though."

Maxi tutted; "I meant your mate who got 'is hands crushed."

"Oh. Yeah, yeah, our shaman friend gave him this tonic to make his bones grow back. Took a while though so every day yours truly had to help him out like a lowly servant." Howard grumbled, when in truth it had been Bollo who'd been the main one to wait hand and hand-feet on Vince out of insufferable guilt.

"Wow. Can't believe you lived with a gorilla! Most I had at home was a cow that lived down the end of the road. But he died last year."

"What was it, foot and mouth?"

"No. Drunk driving." replied Maxi, inwardly relieved that he was finally having an actual conversation with Howard. Not only that but he was doing his hair for him. _It's like having a big sister,_ Maxi smirked to himself.

A short while later, Howard finished ironing out boy's fringe and smiled; "There you are. All done. Go have a look."

Maxi got up and trotted to the bathroom to examine Howard's efforts in the mirror. He tilted his head as he looked at himself. He had to admit, Howard hadn't done too bad a job, as good a one as Maxi had told him what he wanted. In fact, if he'd just had some volume spray it would probably have looked perfect.

A resounding "BUZZ!" shook the flat. Maxi came back into the flat to see Howard speaking into the telecom. His eyes fleeted up to Maxi's knowingly, and somewhat pitifully, before he responded to the voice on the other end.

"Yeah…Yeah, he's ready…He'll be right down." Howard released his finger on the buzzer.

Maxi felt the temperature in the room drop rapidly without the heating going off.

Howard ran a hand back through his hair; "Right…Well, he's in the hall downstairs to collect you."

"…Nice of him." Maxi laughed nervously.

"Mmmm. You ready?"

"Yeah, 'course!" Maxi chirped, a bright grin appearing across the lad's paling face. He scooped up his handbag and made his way for the door.

Howard held it open for him but held a hand out as he approached; "You remember everything I've taught you? He gives you the money first before you give him anything, got it."

"Yes, Mother, I've got it." Maxi retorted mockingly; "For God's sake, I'll be fine."

Howard nodded and put his hand down to his side. He watched with ready eyes as Maxi walked briskly and confidently closer to the threshold. But before he could set one foot into the hallway, he froze, still as a statue, his chest not even lifting to breathe.

Howard narrowed his eyes; "…You okay, Maxi?"

The boy shook his head.

"I…I c-can't…I just can't." the bravado crumbled like dissolving bath bomb. He turned to Howard with large, doe-like eyes watering with tears; "I'm not ready, I can't…"

Howard felt his heart string, a part of him having guessed this was coming. He reached out a hand to touch Maxi on the shoulder.

"Listen, son-"

"FUCK OFF." Maxi snapped, slapping Howard's touch away and retreating back into the flat; "Don't fucking call me that, m'not…Just tell him it's cancelled or I'm sick or something, please!"

"I can't. I would if I could but I've already told him you're gonna meet him." Howard explained as calmly as he could. "And Daryl's already-"

"Fuck Daryl, alright! M'not doing it! Just tell him to stuff it." Maxi threw his handbag onto the floor like a child throwing a full-blown tantrum. Howard seethed. Despite his experience, he wasn't so good with handling child-like men.

He slammed the door rather forcefully and rounded on Maxi; "Daryl is the one who took you off the streets and gave you a roof over your head - don't you think you should show a bit more respect?!"

"What by selling myself as a sex toy? Why not just put me on a shelf at Anne Summers!"

"That's all this is to you, isn't it? A fucking joke. This isn't some game we do for fun and a bit of cash, lad, it's a lifestyle - a job!" Howard berated fiercely.

"No, a job is working on the counter at Starbucks or doing I.T in the basement of some company. This is just…this is wrong and it's sick - you're all _sick_!" Maxi was near enough screaming now, tears slipping down his cheeks, carrying traces of eyeliner with it.

Howard, his short fuse near enough burnt out, practically went for the kid in a full on verbal attack; "You think this some easy choice for all of us? You think we all enjoy it?! You don't think I had other dreams, other aspirations, a whole other life even?! I could've had everything but I don't because, just like you, I did something to cock it up for myself and life didn't help me much! And if you wanna make things better for yourself then you're gonna have to earn your way, even if that means doing things you don't like, those are the consequences - you either live with them or die, THAT'S your only choice!"

While Howard had been hollering, Maxi had been shrinking back further and further into the chair he'd collapsed on, his fear fueled anger wearing further away until all that was left was a small, hysterical young man not even in his twenties. He buried his face in his blue nail-polished hands and wept openly.

Howard's heart melted instantly. Tough love had never been a technique he'd been able to use successfully. Clearly, as usual, it had done more harm than good. _He's just a kid…_

_Don't let him go. Save him from it. Save yourself as well - just leave!_

He silenced the voice again before he let his heart control him. He didn't have a choice. Daryl had told him clearly that either Maxi pays up or he's back kipping under a bridge somewhere. And Howard would suffer to, there was no doubt about that, he'd have to be the one to pay for Maxi's expenses.

Deciding to take another approach, the one that usually worked, he crouched down beside the whimpering teen and began to speak softly; "It won't be that bad. Everyone's nervous their first time, trust me, I was terrible. But Daryl's made sure this guy is ok. He doesn't want anything over the top or…costly. He just wants to take you out for the night. Sometimes they don't even want sex, they're just lonely men wanting some company."

Maxi sniffed; "Yeah, right."

"It's true, speak to some of the others, it does happen." Howard tucked a piece of hair behind Maxi's ear; "And if he does try to hurt you or anything, you just leg it straight out of there and ring me, okay? But I bet you it won't come to that. In fact, it'll be over before you know it and you'll have a bit more cash to spend on these flimsy, stupid outfits of yours."

Maxi laughed through his tears along with Howard. It was the first proper laugh that had been shared between them. He looked at Howard with a watery smile and nodded. Howard wiped away some of the smudged eyeliner and led him, by the hand, back to the door.

The buzzer sounded again and Howard answered; "….Yeah, sorry, we had a bit of a problem. He is coming now….Yes, the fare will be deducted from your fee." he put the receiver back down.

Maxi was fluffing up his hair again. He took a deep breath and looked at Howard; "'Kay…Wish me luck." he said, still sounding not entirely sure of himself."

"You'll be fine." replied Howard, for some reason not able to wish him such a thing. He opened the door for him once more.

Maxi turned and this time was able to step over the threshold and continued to walk down the corridor and disappear out of sight down the stairway.

Howard was left standing there, knowing he'd just sold out an innocent, naïve boy in order to benefit himself and save his own skin.

And not for the first time either.

**-x-x-**

"Fuck yeah, you take it, you little tramp. You love this don't you? Tell me you love it, go on!" Howard's client humped into him like a horny dog. He was in his forties and yet performed like a rampant teenager not having a clue what to do. He was a skinny guy with greasy hair and looked a typical one of life's losers. But tonight, at the price of seventy euros, he was 'Master'. Howard's hands were tied up behind his head with a beige handkerchief as he lay on his back, looking up into the glazed, lusty eyes of one of his reoccurring customers.

Howard used the acting skills acquired from his brief training montage with Jurgen Haabamaster to good use, feigning pants of euphoria with each thrust; "Yes, Master Rufus. I love it. More, Master, more, please."

"I'll give you more, slut, I'll fucking give you more than you deserve!" Rufus bared his teeth, sweat pouring from his brow. He put his head down and bit one of Howard's nipples.

"Oh Master. Master!" Howard called out, submissively, hoping each cry would be the one to finally make him come.

Finally, at the third cry of his 'title', he did, arching his back and screaming; "YES! YES! GERONIMO!"

He pulled out and fell on top of Howard, completely spent, for enough time to Howard to have a little snigger at Rufus' signature 'comephrase' as they called it. Rufus then leaned up on his elbows and untied Howard's wrists and giving him a quick kiss on the brow.

"Cheers Dan. That was cosmic!" Rufus smiled, cleaning himself up with a tissue handed to him by Howard.

"Always happy to please, you know my slogan." Howard smiled curtly.

Dan had been a 'working name' he'd had ever since he started out. It was something generic and yet more youthful and enticing than Howard, so Daryl had said. Plus it never hurt to have security.

Howard lit up two cigarettes and handed one to Rufus. They both sat back on the headboard.

"Though I hope you don't mind me saying this, mate. But you seemed a bit…distracted?" said Rufus after a puff.

"I thought you enjoyed it?"

"No, I did, you're a star. You just seemed like you had a lot on your mind, Dan?"

Howard took a long drag; "Maybe I did."

He was relieved when Rufus finally left and at the same detested the silence he was left with when the door had closed. Howard put on his dressing robe and sat in the living room, watching late night telly on the Freeview. He glanced up at the clock. Half one in the morning. He really should have organized a curfew or something for Maxi's first time. He could be kept out all night. So why was Howard waiting up for him?

Because even with a sex hungry I.T geek pounding into him, he hadn't been able to completely throw his worry aside. What if Maxi's client had been like that or worse? Would he have been able to handle it? Howard groaned, running his hands over his face. Who was he kidding? The boy had had a meltdown before he'd even set foot outside the flat. What chance did he have?

There was no way Howard was going to sleep well that night. He made himself a cup of tea and sat up watching reruns of QI on Dave until the first few rays of dawn began to light up the sky outside.

Then, at half five, the lock in the front door clicked and Howard got to his feet.

Maxi quietly and calmly entered the flat and turned to face Howard, looking somewhat surprised that the older man had waited up for him. Howard's eyes quickly scanned him. He couldn't see any bruises. No cuts, tears or creases to his jumpsuit. Apart from his hair being a bit mussed and his make-up faded, he couldn't see any signs of harm. But Howard knew more than anyone that pain in this business was more than just skin deep.

The boy raised a light smile through his tired eyes; "Hi."

"Hi…How did it go?" Howard asked, rather stupidly he thought afterward.

Maxi just shrugged; "…Okay. He was okay…He bought me flowers." He held up a small bouquet of white roses.

"Lovely." He didn't know what else to say.

Maxi kept on looking down at the flowers oddly.

"Uhm…Do you wanna put them in some water?" asked Howard, stepping forward, unnerved by Maxi's stillness.

The boy nodded. When he looked up at Howard to give him a smile, his eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

Howard didn't even need the voice in his head to push him. He took the flowers out of Maxi's hands and cast them onto the sofa. He then pulled Maxi close and drew him into his arms, holding him tightly against him, letting him cry against his chest. After tensing at first, the boy melted, boneless with trust, against him and clung to him around his middle. He didn't say anything and he didn't need to. Howard just rocked him and stroked his hair. And he thought of Vince.

He thought of all the times he'd let Vince down. All the times Vince had wanted a cuddle and Howard had shrugged him off- just because he '_didn't like to be touched'_. So he held Maxi even tighter, whispering how he was gonna be there for him. "Always."

* * *

**Well it was either Dan or Julian/Paul/'Padre'/Rosey (or is he Bauer? I haven't watched Surrealismo as much as I should have). Reviews would be lovely.**


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